Sharing a love of vegetarian

When the Bilambil mother of two first made the decision to share her passion for cooking, she wasn't to know just what would be involved.

Now, after two years of struggle and experiment, Kayoko is about to release her vegetarian cookbook, Passionately Vegetarian.

Not only did she devise the recipes, Kayoko also took the photographs, designed the layout and arranged publishing of the book, which she has written in both English and Japanese languages.

To top it off, proceeds from sales of the book will go to Amnesty International to assist refugees, another passion Kayoko holds dearly.

The Japanese national gradually acquired her taste for vegetarian food in India where she met her hus- band, Mohan, a strict vegetarian. The couple live in Bilambil with their two children, and the entire family follows a vegetarian diet.

"But I am not a fanatical vegetarian at all," Kayoko said.

"I was brought up on a diet with a strongly Americanised influence with lots of meat. In fact I made it a condition of my marriage that my husband agreed I continue being a non-vege- tarian," she said.

"But I became semi-vegetarian simply for the convenience, but as time went by I realised how much better I felt as I cut down my non-vegetarian diet.

"The challenge then began to find vegetarian cooking with balanced nutrition and satisfying variety," Kayoko said.

"Now I simply want to share everything I have learned with as many people as possible."